Gay Rights
Council Votes Against Barring Travel to North Carolina to Protest Anti-LGBT Rights Law
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After a lively debate Tuesday night, the Watertown Town Council voted against a proposal to bar travel by town employees to North Carolina in response to that state’s adoption of the bill that revokes any protection of gays, lesbians, transexuals and bisexuals, and bars any laws from being made.
The proposal was brought up by Councilor Susan Falkoff, who proposed the ban be studied by the Council’s Human Services and Rules and Organization subcommittees. She included exceptions if the travel was required to enforce the laws of Massachusetts or if the town is for something the town contractually required to do. Falkoff was not able to attend the meeting, and Councilor Tony Palomba read a letter she wrote. She noted that law has prompted response from other cities, such as Boston, New York, San Francisco and Seattle, have banned travel by their employees. Others have responded too, including Paypal, which said it would not expand to North Carolina, and entertainers such as Bruce Springsteen and Ringo Starr, who cancelled concerts in protest of the law.